Tun Tum Movie By Socrates Safo An African Perspective On The Origins Of The African And The Future Of African Unity

Explaining the phenomenon of the dark skin human, including where and how this distinct colouration was born, has been visually illustrated using contemporary animation and artificial intelligence with production over a 4 and a half year period by Ghanaian filmmakers Socrates Safo and Michael Tettey Narh. The movie carefully inculcates vivid illustrations, symbolism and a voice over in English using simple diction, to carry the story through, thereby making it easy for any viewer to understand the film. Nevertheless, 'Tun Tum' meaning 'black' referring to 'dark skin' (in popular Ghanaian dialect 'Twi') in this movie, is suspense filled and likely to glue one's eyes till the end. But, what is most captivating about 'Tun Tum' is the message and it's different perspective on the 'Origins of the African'.

The movie first offers its own opinion of how the African was brought into existence. Contrary to the evolution of man's theory by Charles Darwin and the ape's sequential transformation, it shows how the African was selectively moulded by the hands of God; he is shown as the creator using water, fire and earth to gradually form the shape of the African, and breathing into the moulded object life as the final ingredient.

Then, as the story progresses, the movie takes a very controversial
turn when the 'intruder' arrives. A biblical and to some extent historical reference, can be made when the 'intruder' arrives as a fallen star engulfed by a fiery explosion when impact is made with earth. The intruder embodies a white angelic image of a handsome man; some might attribute to the fallen angel 'Lucifer' who later became the devil and also the colonial masters of old. But, the movie again, takes another turn which drifts away from the religious 'lucifer' character when the object of deceit later used to infiltrate the African's paradise and destroy all that he loved, was a separate serpent which was not embodied by the fallen angel and was already present on the earth before the arrival of the fallen angel; this was contrary to the Bible which merged both Satan and the serpent as one.

In the movie 'Tun Tum', we see the further selfish activities of the fallen angel in the camp of the African, which resulted in the deterioration and distruction of the African's environment and cultural structure; which also introduced detrimental factors which brought pain and harm to the African. This was an intelligent use of symbolism and can be likened to the real life situation of the island Haiti and some many African nations which became worse off after colonialism. Some may also refer to pre- colonial times when the African lived happily according to African culture and norms until the exploration visits and invasions by Europeans. History has it that many of the Europeans who visited Africa had children with African women and in many cases, left them fatherless when they returned to Europe. Thereby, causing a new offspring with a different skin color to rise but in neglect and in some cases rejection by Africans. The end result, was a once united community now divided.

The never ending journey of the African in search of a new home begins. After having paradise destroyed by the activities of the intruder, we see how the African struggles to find a lost paradise through a forced weary journey and migrates to different parts of the world. This can be interpreted as the current situation experienced by many Africans living in the diaspora who are descendants of ancestors who once walked the African continent but, eventually left on a journey due to unpleasant circumstances induced by the infiltration of the 'intruder' (the fallen angel).

Finally, in the concluding part of the movie, a massive journey is made by many Africans from across the globe to Africa, specifically Ghana. This symbolizes the massive return by many Africans born of African heritage who lived outside the African continent but now, desire to discover their roots and take part in their African heritage hence, visit their original home.

In conclusion, the movie 'Tun Tum' doesn't just tell the African story from an African perspective, but also offers hope to the massive nation of Africans both living on the African continent and abroad in the possibility of rebuilding what was once paradise; even in today's new age of cultural diversities, eurocentrism towards Africa, lack of proximity and the impediment of geographic boundaries. Its ending suggests the return of these scattered sons and daughters of Africa to their original home not as the concluding chapter to a journey began centuries ago, but as a new chapter of a destination of peace and happiness.